Day 6

Today, pickup trucks, trailers, vans, and flatbed trucks full of supplies from Texas, Ohio, and Kentucky met up with us at the Church in Covington. We were headed towards Bogalusa, LA. Bogalusa is a very small, very poor town that had been overlooked when the larger relief orginizations came through the area.
This was really eye opening for me. I saw that a fairly small group of people could go into a community and have a huge impact.




We had seen the news reports about violence and looting. We were even told that relief orginizations would not go into these neighborhoods without an armed guard! We weren't sure what we were going to find. I'm happy to say that the whole time we were there we felt completely safe. We did not experience any hostility or feel threatened at all! The people of this community welcomed us with open arms, big smiles, and a few tears of joy.










You could see the excitement in these children's eyes as you hand them food, clothing, books, crayons, water, or candy.
They were happy just to have someone there to show them that they were not forgotten.







One of the hot items was new white T-shirts. These people had gone almost two weeks without laundry and it was over 90 degrees and muggy each of the days that we were there.



Sometimes, just letting someone know that you came from halfway across the states to let them know that you care about them, and that there is hope, is just as valuable as the supplies you brought with you.




























After a long day of unloading supplies our team gathered togeter with Pastor Troy's team, and the people from Ohio, and Kentucky for a group picture. We would be back to a different neighborhood in the same community the next day with more trucks, and more supplies.

Day 7

This young lady told me that her family had always lived in Bogalusa. She told me that she was 44 years old, the mother of five children, and the grandmother of eight children.







Today we busted out the chainsaws. There were several trees that had been blown over, or were about to fall over. They needed to be cleared from the lot for the semi truck full of supplies that was coming the next day.

Day 8

Gregory is a nurse/practitioner and he went around doing simple medical tasks like checking blood pressure. Many of the people of Bogalusa had not been able to see a doctor or pick up their prescriptions since before the storm.
















Bogalusa was at least an hour and a half north of New Orleans and the damage was still ever present. All these power lines were knocked over on the adjacent buildings. Bogalusa was going on two weeks without power.







We met Rev. John R. Perry, the Pastor of this church. His congregation had huddled in the sanctuary to ride out the storm. At one point they could literally see the roof coming off of the building then crashing back down on it. The pastors office, and the auditorium were destroyed.







Here is Rev. Perry hugging Pastor Troy. Pastor Troy stunned all of us when he wrote out a check for a thousand dollars to help repair the church building. Pastor Troy had lost his home and his church, but his heart was still overflowing with generosity. I was completely stunned. I still can't believe it.

It's still too much to comprehend everything that I saw during this trip. Not only the power of the storm but also the power that poverty holds over a community, and the power of love and hope to break through those strongholds.

New Orleans opened up on the last day of our trip. We were not able to make it into the city. Pastor Troy and his team have since been able to move into New Orleans and set up camp at a campground with electricity, and showers. They are excited for the ministry opportunities in the months ahead as the people of New Orleans began to come back home. As of 9-20-05 WWW.UGO4GOD.COM has sent 4 more teams since our first team went. Even more team are preparing to go.

CLICK HERE to go to the "Trip Blog" that each team has been updating as they go.


It was truly a blessing to be a part of reaching out and touching a community in need. I'm so thankful that I was able to be a part of it.
Thank you to family, and friends that helped support this team. Thank you to Santa Rosa, and especially the people of Hope Chapel for the generous donations of all the supplies. Thanks to Rudy, Brian, Bobby Chance, Pastor Jerry, and Pastor Troy. And a very special thanks to Pastor Dan, and my dear friend Blake Angelos and his beautiful family. I would not have been able to be a part of this without your prodding, your love, and your support.



grace and peace, jimmy
www.culturedrivenlife.blogspot.com